• David Vazquez, a street performer dressed as the Joker, waits in hopes of pedestrians who will pay to take pictures with him in Mexico City. AP Photo
    David Vazquez, a street performer dressed as the Joker, waits in hopes of pedestrians who will pay to take pictures with him in Mexico City. AP Photo
  • Pallbearers pull the coffin of a deceased person for a funeral ceremony into the cemetery of Grassobbio, Lombardy. AFP
    Pallbearers pull the coffin of a deceased person for a funeral ceremony into the cemetery of Grassobbio, Lombardy. AFP
  • American Airlines passenger planes crowd a runway where they are parked due to flight reductions to slow the spread of coronavirus disease. Reuters
    American Airlines passenger planes crowd a runway where they are parked due to flight reductions to slow the spread of coronavirus disease. Reuters
  • People wearing face masks arrive at the South Municipal cemetery in Madrid. AFP
    People wearing face masks arrive at the South Municipal cemetery in Madrid. AFP
  • A youth artist S.F. paints a mural about the Covid-19 crisis on the roof of his building in Athens. AFP
    A youth artist S.F. paints a mural about the Covid-19 crisis on the roof of his building in Athens. AFP
  • A picture taken from the roof the Emile Muller Hospital shows tents of a military field hospital during its setting up in Mulhouse, eastern France. AFP
    A picture taken from the roof the Emile Muller Hospital shows tents of a military field hospital during its setting up in Mulhouse, eastern France. AFP
  • An elderly person with an undisclosed illness arrives on a stretcher, and is admitted to NYU Langone Health Center hospital. AFP
    An elderly person with an undisclosed illness arrives on a stretcher, and is admitted to NYU Langone Health Center hospital. AFP
  • French soldiers prepare medical gear during the setting up of an intensive care unit at a military field hospital at the Emile Muller Hospital in Mulhouse, eastern France. AFP
    French soldiers prepare medical gear during the setting up of an intensive care unit at a military field hospital at the Emile Muller Hospital in Mulhouse, eastern France. AFP
  • A researcher works on a vaccine against the new coronavirus at the Copenhagen University research lab. AFP
    A researcher works on a vaccine against the new coronavirus at the Copenhagen University research lab. AFP
  • The USNS Mercy, a Navy hospital ship, departs the Naval Station San Diego and heads to the Port of Los Angeles to aid local medical facilities dealing with coronavirus disease patients, in San Diego, California. Reuters
    The USNS Mercy, a Navy hospital ship, departs the Naval Station San Diego and heads to the Port of Los Angeles to aid local medical facilities dealing with coronavirus disease patients, in San Diego, California. Reuters
  • A man wearing a face mask displays a sign for takeaway services at an eatery after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses and moving toward harsh penalties to enforce self-isolation as the spread of coronavirus disease reached a "critical stage" in Sydney, Australia. Reuters
    A man wearing a face mask displays a sign for takeaway services at an eatery after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses and moving toward harsh penalties to enforce self-isolation as the spread of coronavirus disease reached a "critical stage" in Sydney, Australia. Reuters
  • A health worker vaccinates a woman against the flu, as advised by health officials to facilitate diagnosis for coronavirus, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brasilia, Brazil. Reuters
    A health worker vaccinates a woman against the flu, as advised by health officials to facilitate diagnosis for coronavirus, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brasilia, Brazil. Reuters

Coronavirus: Egypt declares night-time curfew to combat outbreak

Most public service providers will shut their doors during the curfew period, prime minister says

The National

March 24, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Egypt on Tuesday announced a nationwide overnight curfew, its most drastic measure to date to combat a coronavirus outbreak that has already claimed 19 lives and infected at least 366.

The 7pm to 6am curfew, which will go into effect on Wednesday and stay in place for two weeks, was announced by Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli as part of a new package of measures.

These included the suspension of university and school classes for an additional two weeks. Shops will shut from 5pm to 6am and will be closed completely on Fridays and Saturdays, except for bakeries, supermarkets and pharmacies.

  • The Ritz hotel in London. EPA
    The Ritz hotel in London. EPA
  • A nearly empty Times Square is seen on March 23, 2020 in New York City. AFP
    A nearly empty Times Square is seen on March 23, 2020 in New York City. AFP
  • A nearly empty Times Square is seen on March 23, 2020 in New York City. AFP
    A nearly empty Times Square is seen on March 23, 2020 in New York City. AFP
  • Empty streets in Trafalgar Square as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in London. Reuters
    Empty streets in Trafalgar Square as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in London. Reuters
  • View of the empty Sol square in Madrid, Spain as lockdown continues in the Spanish capital. EPA
    View of the empty Sol square in Madrid, Spain as lockdown continues in the Spanish capital. EPA
  • The empty Neumarkt square in front of the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) is seen during a partial lockdown in Dresden, Germany. Reuters
    The empty Neumarkt square in front of the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) is seen during a partial lockdown in Dresden, Germany. Reuters
  • Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires after the Argentine government ordered a "preventive and mandatory" isolation, effective until the end of the month. AFP
    Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires after the Argentine government ordered a "preventive and mandatory" isolation, effective until the end of the month. AFP
  • A view of an empty square in downtown Wroclaw, western Poland. EPA
    A view of an empty square in downtown Wroclaw, western Poland. EPA
  • The empty street facing the Ponte Vecchio in Florence during a strict lockdown put in place by Italian government to fight against the spread of the COVID-19. AFP
    The empty street facing the Ponte Vecchio in Florence during a strict lockdown put in place by Italian government to fight against the spread of the COVID-19. AFP
  • A man walks along the empty Champs-Elysees in Paris. AFP
    A man walks along the empty Champs-Elysees in Paris. AFP
  • The empty Loge street in the city of Montpellier, southern France, on the seventh day of a lockdown. AFP
    The empty Loge street in the city of Montpellier, southern France, on the seventh day of a lockdown. AFP
  • A street stands empty in the Chinatown area of Melbourne, Australia. The Australian government said it will enforce more stringent controls to slow the virus spread, closing pubs, casinos, restaurants and other venues after the number of infections surged. Bloomberg
    A street stands empty in the Chinatown area of Melbourne, Australia. The Australian government said it will enforce more stringent controls to slow the virus spread, closing pubs, casinos, restaurants and other venues after the number of infections surged. Bloomberg
  • A man stands outside the Bondi Pavilion at a near-empty Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Bloomberg
    A man stands outside the Bondi Pavilion at a near-empty Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Bloomberg
  • The empty "Place de la Comedie " in the city of Montpellier, southern France. AFP
    The empty "Place de la Comedie " in the city of Montpellier, southern France. AFP
  • An empty street leading to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. AFP
    An empty street leading to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. AFP
  • A florist stall at an empty London Bridge in London, Britain. EPA
    A florist stall at an empty London Bridge in London, Britain. EPA
  • Pigeons gather outside the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador during the 40th anniversay of San Oscar Arnulfo Romero (1917-1980) assassination. AFP
    Pigeons gather outside the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador during the 40th anniversay of San Oscar Arnulfo Romero (1917-1980) assassination. AFP
  • Empty streets and alleyways are seen around Chinatown at what would usually be a busy period of Friday night revelry in London, England. Getty Images
    Empty streets and alleyways are seen around Chinatown at what would usually be a busy period of Friday night revelry in London, England. Getty Images
  • An empty street is seen in the usually crowded Main Town in Gdansk, during the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Poland. Reuters
    An empty street is seen in the usually crowded Main Town in Gdansk, during the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Poland. Reuters

Public transport and private taxi services will be suspended daily between 5pm and 6am. All restaurants will be closed for dining but will be allowed to continue delivery services.

Tuesday’s measures followed a tweet by President Abdel Fatah El Sisi earlier in the day in which he said a new package of measures would be announced shortly to combat the virus, which causes the disease Coved-19.

Already, the government has announced a ban on large gatherings, suspended international air travel and closed historical sites.

Sports activities have been suspended and religious authorities closed mosques and churches.

EgyptCoronavirus